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Mistakes That Worked by Charlotte Foltz Jones

Mistakes That Worked

40 Familiar Inventions & How They Came to Be

Charlotte Foltz Jones

Random House Children's Books · Print & ebook · May 1, 1994

The greatest discoveries are made outside the classroom!

Wonder & CuriositiesInventionsScientific Discoverieshistory
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science
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Who it’s for
Everyday objects get an entertaining twist through the odd mistakes behind their beginnings.
Themes
Accidental discoveries, Everyday inventions, Unusual origins
Genres
Inventions, Wonder & Curiosities, Scientific Discoveries

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For older readers: The Evolution of Useful Things, How We Got to Now, Stuff Matters

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About this book

The greatest discoveries are made outside the classroom! Learn all about mistakes that changed the world with this collection of the strange stories behind everyday inventions! It's no accident that you'll love this book! SANDWICHES came about when an English earl was too busy gambling to eat his meal and needed to keep one hand free. POTATO CHIPS were first cooked by a chef who was furious when a customer complained that his fried potatoes weren’t thin enough.

Continue reading

Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays have fascinating stories behind them too! Their unusual tales, and many more, along with hilarious cartoons and weird, amazing facts, make up this fun-filled book about everyday items that had surprisingly haphazard beginnings. And don't miss Eat Your Words about the fascinating language of food! “A splendid book that is as informative as it is entertaining . . . a gem.” —Booklist, Starred Review

Accidental Inventions

Everyday objects get an entertaining twist through the odd mistakes behind their beginnings.

Come here for

  • Curious backstories behind sandwiches, potato chips, Coca-Cola, Silly Putty, and X rays
  • A playful mix of invention stories, cartoons, and weird facts

Expect

  • Familiar things with surprisingly haphazard origins
  • A light, fact-filled read about everyday inventions

Where it sits

Inventions76%
Scientific Discoveries47%
Wonder & Curiosities33%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Encyclopedias
  • Science Projects & Experiments
  • How Things Work
Authors
Charlotte Foltz Jones
Publisher
Random House Children's Books
Published
May 1, 1994
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Accidental discoveries · Everyday inventions · Unusual origins
Reading lane
Encyclopedias